Preview — Abandoned
by Allison Brennan

Abandoned

New York Times best-selling author Allison Brennan weaves the intimate, unpausable story of an investigator confronting the most important - and most dangerous - mystery of her career, in Abandoned

Investigative reporter Max Revere has cracked many cases, but the one investigation she's never attempted is the mystery from her own past. Her mother abando13 hours, 45 minutes

New York Times best-selling author Allison Brennan weaves the intimate, unpausable story of an investigator confronting the most important - and most dangerous - mystery of her career, in Abandoned

Investigative reporter Max Revere has cracked many cases, but the one investigation she's never attempted is the mystery from her own past. Her mother abandoned her when she was nine, sending her periodic postcards, but never returning to reclaim her daughter. Seven years after the postcards stop coming, Martha Revere is declared legally dead, with no sign of what may have happened to her. Until now.

With a single clue - that her mother's car disappeared 16 years ago in a small town on the Chesapeake Bay - Max drops everything to finally seek the truth. As Max investigates, and her mother's story unfolds, she realizes that Martha teamed up with a con man. They traveled the world living off Martha's trust and money they conned from others.

Though no one claims to know anything about Martha or her disappearance, Max suspects more than one person is lying. When she learns the FBI has an active investigation into the con man, Max knows she's on the right path. But as Max digs into the dark secrets of this idyllic community, the only thing she might find is the same violent end as her mother....more

Community Reviews

Investigative reporter, Max Revere, sets out to solve the most important cold case of her career in this 5th installment of the series. Abandoned by her Mom at the age of 9, Max was left in the care of her very wealthy grandparents. Eventually her Mother stopped sending postcards on Max's birthday (always belated) and withdrawing from her trust fund; she disappeared without a trace. Now aged 32, and a successful television personality and author, Max is finally ready to uncover the truth behindInvestigative reporter, Max Revere, sets out to solve the most important cold case of her career in this 5th installment of the series. Abandoned by her Mom at the age of 9, Max was left in the care of her very wealthy grandparents. Eventually her Mother stopped sending postcards on Max's birthday (always belated) and withdrawing from her trust fund; she disappeared without a trace. Now aged 32, and a successful television personality and author, Max is finally ready to uncover the truth behind her Mother's disappearance.

This is actually the first book I have read in the Max Revere series and I don’t think that diminished my enjoyment for this book at all. You could definitely pick this up as a stand-alone novel if you wanted. After reading this, I am absolutely interested in reading the other books in the series. I loved Max as a character. She was smart, strong, independent and not afraid to make it through life on her own. No matter how dangerous her investigation became she never backed down. She was willing to do whatever it took to get to the truth and I respect that.

Overall, this is a very solid mystery with strong investigatory elements. There were a lot of leads to follow as there is so much going on in this book: family drama, small town secrets, art theft and forgery, con-men/women and more! I usually do enjoy mystery/thrillers where the protagonist is a journalist but this one is especially well done in my opinion. The story leaves off with a lot of changes going on for Max so I definitely think this series will be continuing and this won't be the last time I read about Max Revere. That's for darn sure.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Minotaur Books, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. Max is just the kind of protagonist I love so I had a really great time reading this!...more

Investigative reporter Max Revere takes on a very personal case. Her own mother's abandoned her when she was nine. Only sending postcards over the next seven years before they stop coming. The only clue Max has is her mother's abandoned car in a small town on the Chesapeake Bay. There she starts to dig for the truth, but not everyone is glad that she is in town digging for clues.

As an investigative reporter for Maximum Exposure it’s Maxine’s job and passion to investigate cold cases and get answers. Not only for justice, but for the family left behind without closure. But this case is personal. Maxine’s mother, Martha, disappeared sixteen years ago and was finally declared dead, but they never found out what happened to her.

After getting to know Max through the previous books it’s apparent her mother’s abandonment and then disappearance has cast a shadow over4.5 Stars

As an investigative reporter for Maximum Exposure it’s Maxine’s job and passion to investigate cold cases and get answers. Not only for justice, but for the family left behind without closure. But this case is personal. Maxine’s mother, Martha, disappeared sixteen years ago and was finally declared dead, but they never found out what happened to her.

After getting to know Max through the previous books it’s apparent her mother’s abandonment and then disappearance has cast a shadow over her life. We get glimpses of Martha Revere in the past and let me tell you she was a piece of work! Self-absorbed without a care for anyone else, least of all her daughter. She dumped Max off with her mother (Max’s grandmother) when Max was just nine and never looked back. My heart hurt for Max.

After so many years of not knowing what exactly happened she gets a break in the case when Sean Rogan finds a clue leading back to the seaside town of Cape Haven. Could Martha Revere have spent her last days there? And if so what was she doing there that led to her death? Max is determined to find out exactly what happened. Not surprisingly, Max’s digging around and asking questions ruffles a few feathers, but even more than that, it puts her in danger. Abandoned had me on a knife edge with all the tension swirling, and things got very desperate by the end!

I’ve become very fond of Maxine through this series. Yes, she can be hyper-focused on her mission to the point of stepping on toes or just bulldozing right over whoever gets in her way, but she does it out of the sincere belief that she’s doing what’s right. She’s honest and doesn’t play games, and I was glad that after Nick’s behavior in the last few books it seems Max might’ve finally found someone worthy of her. I really love how far she’s has come as a person, and I’m interested to see how some of the new developments in Abandoned will affect Max’s life in the future.

Each book of the Max Revere series tackles and solves a mystery, but I can’t really recommend this as a standalone. Max’s personal life and history are built upon with each new installment and that’s a huge part of what makes the series so addictive. It is a series that I love and whole-heartedly recommend!

A copy was kindly provided by Minotaur Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Allison Brennan's Abandoned sits firmly as a 2.5 star read for me. Abandoned is the fifth installment to the Max Revere series. Max is a celebrity investigative reported who's focus is primarily on cold cases. Up until this point she's never used her vast resources to investigate the cold case of her mother leaving her until now.

Abandoned offers insight from the past as well as follows Max's present journey through her mother's sordid past as she gathers clue after clue of her mother's disappeaAllison Brennan's Abandoned sits firmly as a 2.5 star read for me. Abandoned is the fifth installment to the Max Revere series. Max is a celebrity investigative reported who's focus is primarily on cold cases. Up until this point she's never used her vast resources to investigate the cold case of her mother leaving her until now.

Abandoned offers insight from the past as well as follows Max's present journey through her mother's sordid past as she gathers clue after clue of her mother's disappearance sixteen years earlier. And I won't deny it, I was definitely sucked into the story. Brennan offers an easy read that is littered with moments to escape into, there was just something I couldn't get past when reading this title and that is the reason for my 2.5 star rating.

This novel is fun. Everything is fun about it. The mother's disappearance and how it ties into present day events was fun unlocking. Being introduced to the quirky FBI agent who helps Max's investigation was fun well. Even the parts that were a tad predictable were fun to read and held my attention like a bad accident. What became not so fun about this bad accident I couldn't tear away from is the overuse of the word fun. It's as if Brennan had no thesaurus in site and decided to lazily keep saying that Max's mother, Martha, simply couldn't be bogged down with a child so she abandoned her only child, with her (rich) grandparents, so she could have fun.

Abandoned was a... fun read. I don't mean that insincerely. I did have quite the time with this read and when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking how all the dots would connect. Some dots connected sooner than others, but I'm pretty good at this mystery thriller thing. Fans of this series won't be disappointed. I just wish the use of the word fun wasn't so distracting that it almost caused me to abandon this title... almost.

Thank you to Minotaur Books for gifting me with a beautiful hardcover copy of this book to read and share my review with my followers.

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Riveting, suspenseful, addicting! This book grabs your attention and keeps you hooked from the very beginning. This was the first book I have read by Allison Brennan and I was very impressed. She has a fabulous style of writing that keeps the reader engaged and hooked in the storyliReview can be found on my blog here: https://booksonthebookshelf.wordpress...

Thank you to Minotaur Books for gifting me with a beautiful hardcover copy of this book to read and share my review with my followers.

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Riveting, suspenseful, addicting! This book grabs your attention and keeps you hooked from the very beginning. This was the first book I have read by Allison Brennan and I was very impressed. She has a fabulous style of writing that keeps the reader engaged and hooked in the storyline.

Although this is book #5 in the Max Revere series it can be read as a standalone. I haven’t read the previous 4 books and it was no problem to follow the storyline. However, after reading this novel I definitely am interested in reading the previous 4 books following Max Revere’s characrter. She is one bad ass woman and I loved that! We need more books with a dominant female character as the main character in the book and this book was definitely one of those!

It was interesting to read about Max’s past with her mother Martha and get an understanding of what life with her mother Martha was like. At a very young age she was left with her grandparents, whom she never knew or met before, with her mother promising to be back at a later time.

Fast forward to the present and Max is determined to uncover the truth of what truly happened to her mother all those years ago. Why did she disappear. Did something happen to her? Did she purposely go into hiding so no one could find her? Had she done something awful that she was afraid someone would find her?

In her search to uncover the truth, Max meets a man named Gabriel. She is convinced he is hiding something and Max believes her knows more about her mother than he is letting on. But what could he possibly be hiding? Max is determined to uncover the truth. Max gets the feeling that this man Gabriel is nervous and spooked by the fact that Max is in town asking questions about her mother, but why?

This book is written in different timelines – the past and the present. Parts are written from Max’s point of view, parts are written by her mother Martha’s point of view, parts are written by Gabriel’s point of view, parts are written from a few more characters’ points of view. The various POV’s in the book give us a clearer understanding of what is going on and it wasn’t difficult to follow along at all.

Overall, without giving too much away about the book, I absolutely loved this book! It was addictive from the very beginning and I found myself unable to put it down. There were so many things going on in the book I kept wanting to read more and more to see what would happen next.

A complex set of characters in the book add to the greatness of this story. Max was a very fun character to read about, she was a badass woman with determination, drive, wit and charm.

If you love a good crime novel, then definitely read this book. I am sure you will not be disappointed!...more

This is Book 5 in the Max Revere series but can be read as a stand alone. In my opinion, the best book so far. This is a fantastic book. I have been a fan of this Author for many years. Maxine Revere is an investigative reporter in New York with a cable tv show. She investigates cold cases. Her mother left her with her grandparents when she was 9 years old. Maxine received postcards from her mother usually around her birthday. They stopped coming when she was 16. In this book, Maxine travels toThis is Book 5 in the Max Revere series but can be read as a stand alone. In my opinion, the best book so far. This is a fantastic book. I have been a fan of this Author for many years. Maxine Revere is an investigative reporter in New York with a cable tv show. She investigates cold cases. Her mother left her with her grandparents when she was 9 years old. Maxine received postcards from her mother usually around her birthday. They stopped coming when she was 16. In this book, Maxine travels to a small seaside town, the place where her mother's car was found abandoned. The story is excellent and the characters (most of them) leave a warm feeling in your heart. There are some sad parts. Such a good book from the beginning to the end. Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the Author for allowing me to read and review this book....more

She abhorred lies - especially to herself, but when called out, she didn't realize the deep truth. She was scared. She feared learning the whole truth about her mother because it would in fact change who she was and how she viewed herself in the world. Not knowing had driven her for years, and once the truth came to light, what would she do? Who would she be? But fear was no excuse.

Max Revere brings the truth to light in cold cases. Cold cases that leave families with doubt, fear, that can be pShe abhorred lies - especially to herself, but when called out, she didn't realize the deep truth. She was scared. She feared learning the whole truth about her mother because it would in fact change who she was and how she viewed herself in the world. Not knowing had driven her for years, and once the truth came to light, what would she do? Who would she be? But fear was no excuse.

Max Revere brings the truth to light in cold cases. Cold cases that leave families with doubt, fear, that can be paralyzing. Max has a cold case of her own. The disappearance of her mother Martha Revere. Her mother left her with her grandparents when she was a young girl. Grandparents that gave her acceptance, dignity and purpose. Everything that her mother could not give Max. Her mother being a selfish woman, did not have desire to care for her child. Always looking for the next con and she found it with a man named Jimmy. Given new information about her mother, Max heads to Florida.

It is there that she finds Gabriel. Gabriel who has spent his whole life cleaning up the messes that his brother Jimmy has made and is not willing to speak with Max about her mother. He is afraid and Max must discover what he afraid of to find what happened to her mother.

Her pursuit of finding out what happened to her mother, she must battle fear of what she will find and reign in her emotions as she discovers who her mother really was. There are twists and turns in this mystery however, with each turn there is a resolve in the Max's character. A resolve that truth will indeed set you free.

A Special Thank You to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review....more

Max’s quest to answer the questions surrounding her mother’s disappearance is resolved in this emotional and richly detailed investigation. Surprises abound and emotions are rolling in this fifth story regarding Max and her job as a cold case investigator. Many sweet and funny moments, as well as many bittersweet and sad moments. Twists that kept me captivated and conversations that stole my heart. I love the new additions to her life and can’t wait to see how things work back in New York!

Max isMax’s quest to answer the questions surrounding her mother’s disappearance is resolved in this emotional and richly detailed investigation. Surprises abound and emotions are rolling in this fifth story regarding Max and her job as a cold case investigator. Many sweet and funny moments, as well as many bittersweet and sad moments. Twists that kept me captivated and conversations that stole my heart. I love the new additions to her life and can’t wait to see how things work back in New York!

Max is a strong and charasmatic individual who lives life to the fullest. Her family life is full of tension and secrets, but has been mentioned in the previous four books. AB solves the question of why Max’s mother disappeared. In between putting together clues and coming to terms with her background and memories, Max meets quite a few people who make an impact on her. It was great seeing these happy moments and emotions as the last two books had her personal life facing some struggles. Some of her characters from Lucy Kincaid’s series had a role in this story and I was so happy b/c I love those three families and their friends! Dillon Kincaid keeps inching his way to being one of the best characters ever and I am not mad about it!

This could be read as a standalone, but I would recommend reading the series in order. Once I realized this was a series, I went and started with book one and man, I am loving this series and author!

Thank you Minotaur Books, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the chance to read this book and share my opinion!...more

Thank you to Minotaur Books for a copy of Abandoned for an honest review. Abandoned is the 5th book in the Max Revere series though it can be read as a stand-alone. This was the first book in the series that I have read but it will not be my last! I enjoyed the character. She is strong and smart though a little unfocused on other people and their feelings. She is a cold case investigative reporter but this time she is looking into a personal issue, the disappearance of her mother 16 years ago. SThank you to Minotaur Books for a copy of Abandoned for an honest review. Abandoned is the 5th book in the Max Revere series though it can be read as a stand-alone. This was the first book in the series that I have read but it will not be my last! I enjoyed the character. She is strong and smart though a little unfocused on other people and their feelings. She is a cold case investigative reporter but this time she is looking into a personal issue, the disappearance of her mother 16 years ago. Some of the first quarter of the book was a bit repetitive because Max had to explain her interest in old police files, why she thinks her mother was there, her mother’s connections, etc repeatedly to many people while starting her investigations. It was necessary to establish her case to many since it was so old but for the reader, it was a bit repetitive. I got more into the book once everybody learned of the case and more and more details came into view and it got more complicated. I really like how it was done and can’t wait to get into more of Max Revere’s cases and get to know her character a little better! Abandoned will be available on August 14, 2018....more

Abandoned A Novel by Allison Brennan is the 5th book in this series but the first book for me. While I have been reading this author since I was about fifteen years old I like many others had a hard time connecting with it. This for me was a fail because I didn’t know enough of the story to be able to move it forward. The mystery was there the grit was there my only issue was the romance felt a bit rushed and unfinished.

This is the second book I have read in this series. I like Max. She can hold her own. This is a really good thing as it pretty much was Max that was the main focal character in this story. She held it all together and did a good job of putting all the clues together and solving the case of what happened to her mother.

As I stated, I have only read two books in this series. It was nice to get to know more about Max and her relationship with her grandmother and her mother. I think it did play a paThis is the second book I have read in this series. I like Max. She can hold her own. This is a really good thing as it pretty much was Max that was the main focal character in this story. She held it all together and did a good job of putting all the clues together and solving the case of what happened to her mother.

As I stated, I have only read two books in this series. It was nice to get to know more about Max and her relationship with her grandmother and her mother. I think it did play a part in shaping her to become the woman she is today as well as help her to choose the profession she is in due to her mother leaving her as a little girl.

The only real downside I had with this book is that I felt like there was not a lot of intensity that came into play. In regards, to the storyline, it was pretty much just evenly toned. No, up or down. Yet, I do like this author's writing style. I do want to visit with Max again with reading other books in this series....more

Much anticipated installment about Maxine Revere's search for her long-lost mother, Martha Revere. The book takes place in Cape Haven, Virginia which was believed to be the last place Martha was seen alive as it was the place a car Martha had rented was found abandoned. We learn a lot about Martha and the carefree, fun loving lifestyle she led thanks to the generous monthly allowance she received from the Sterling/Revere family trust. Max is her usual methodical, meticulous self using her resourMuch anticipated installment about Maxine Revere's search for her long-lost mother, Martha Revere. The book takes place in Cape Haven, Virginia which was believed to be the last place Martha was seen alive as it was the place a car Martha had rented was found abandoned. We learn a lot about Martha and the carefree, fun loving lifestyle she led thanks to the generous monthly allowance she received from the Sterling/Revere family trust. Max is her usual methodical, meticulous self using her resources and connections to track Martha’s car back to an apartment and storage space in Miami which in turn allow Max to retrace her mother’s footsteps using the postcards Martha sent Max each year for Max’s birthday. We learn about Martha’s boyfriend, Jimmy Truman, and the role he played in Martha’s decision to leave Max with Martha’s parents in California. Jimmy is also a key player in Martha’s disappearance. Max uncovers another family secret which is sure to be carried on to the next book. Martha is basically portrayed as a beautiful, intelligent fun loving party girl who rebelled against the social restrictions and expectations of her family. The rich really are different b/c she was able to lead a nomadic life traveling all over the world and hooking up with rich guys who supplemented her monthly allowance of $25K. Any other rebellious teen would have just ended up a statistic. Along the way, Martha becomes a fine art expert and art thief both of which factor into her and Jimmy’s eventual disappearance. After striking out romantically in earlier books, Max’s path converged with an FBI agent who was investigating Jimmy in connection with the stolen art and of course, he is Max’s type and thus the romance began. All in all, it was a well paced, interesting read....more

Max is an investigative reporter and she is on the biggest case of her life....finding out what happened to her mother, Martha Revere. Max's mother left her with her grandmother when she was just a small girl. Max received several postcards from her through out her life. Then the postcards just stopped. Max wants to know why!Max is a no nonsense, get the job done, lady! When she sets her mind to something she is going to see it through. Martha Revere is the complete opposite of her daughter. SheMax is an investigative reporter and she is on the biggest case of her life....finding out what happened to her mother, Martha Revere. Max's mother left her with her grandmother when she was just a small girl. Max received several postcards from her through out her life. Then the postcards just stopped. Max wants to know why! Max is a no nonsense, get the job done, lady! When she sets her mind to something she is going to see it through. Martha Revere is the complete opposite of her daughter. She is a fly by night, could care less kind of person. Martha is a con artist...a rich con artist. She is living off her trust fun money and traveling the world. And where this lands her? Try art theft! I love this tangled web of deceit created by Martha. She is no dummy. She cons a con and that is hard to do. This puts her in hot water. Max is slowly unraveling Martha's exploits. This puts Max in more danger than she cares to admit! Plus, it leads her to find out something she never expected. This is a lightening fast read with great characters and a great mystery. Allison Brennan has written tons of books. I cannot believe I have missed her! How?!? She is now on my list! I received this novel from Minotaur Books via Netgalley for a honest review....more

When I started to read Abandoned I had know idea it was part of a series. This book is a stand alone novel even though it is part of a series.

Allison Brennan is able to bring readers into a world of wealth, mystery and death with just a flick of her pen. From the second Max steps food in the small town she realizes there is more to her mother than just a teen looking for a way out.

Abandoned has lots and I mean lots of characters that will be hard to keep up with sometimes. I wish I had a characWhen I started to read Abandoned I had know idea it was part of a series. This book is a stand alone novel even though it is part of a series.

Allison Brennan is able to bring readers into a world of wealth, mystery and death with just a flick of her pen. From the second Max steps food in the small town she realizes there is more to her mother than just a teen looking for a way out.

Abandoned has lots and I mean lots of characters that will be hard to keep up with sometimes. I wish I had a characters list to keep track of everyone. The author uses the terms "I like to have fun." Almost to the point of eye roll. The only disappointment was the end of the story. It just ended even though the build up last several pages the end just ended.

That being said Abandoned is full of twist and turns readers will not be able to get enough of. As the darker the story turns the more the readers will need to find out the truth too.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Allison Brennan Abandoned....more

When she was 9 Max Revere was left with her maternal Grandparents with a promise from her Mother that she would return. Max’s Mother, Martha, was a con artist who didn’t want to be tied down by a child. Now Max Revere is a successful book author with a true crime TV show. She has decided she needs to find out what really happened to her Mother. Sixteen years ago Martha abruptly dropped out of sight, stopped collecting her monthly allowance from a trust fund and the periodic postcards Max receiveWhen she was 9 Max Revere was left with her maternal Grandparents with a promise from her Mother that she would return. Max’s Mother, Martha, was a con artist who didn’t want to be tied down by a child. Now Max Revere is a successful book author with a true crime TV show. She has decided she needs to find out what really happened to her Mother. Sixteen years ago Martha abruptly dropped out of sight, stopped collecting her monthly allowance from a trust fund and the periodic postcards Max received stopped. Max is determined she won’t quit til she has an answer. Max is in for some unforeseen surprises.

This book caught my interest from the beginning. There was a great mystery with lots of twists. It is part of a series but could stand alone. I have one gripe. At the end it seemed to me the resolution to a dangerous situation was pretty abrupt. I think the author should have fleshed it out more. Up until this scene I was a 4* rating. Knocking it down to 3 1/2 stars. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy....more

This is my second Max Revere novel, I also read the previous (#4) in the series, which I really enjoyed. Max is a good protagonist and complex enough to for her own series. This ‘episode’ focuses heavily on resolving her past, namely what happened to her mother who disappeared 16 years earlier. The set-up sounded great and the beginning of the book is strong. I found the middle and the ending lackluster. Max’s mother is not that interesting of a character and quickly becomes predictable. I stoppThis is my second Max Revere novel, I also read the previous (#4) in the series, which I really enjoyed. Max is a good protagonist and complex enough to for her own series. This ‘episode’ focuses heavily on resolving her past, namely what happened to her mother who disappeared 16 years earlier. The set-up sounded great and the beginning of the book is strong. I found the middle and the ending lackluster. Max’s mother is not that interesting of a character and quickly becomes predictable. I stopped caring what happened to her. The larger mystery that she was involved in also didn’t engage me; perhaps because the outcome was not that surprising. There just wasn’t enough of Max, doing what she does best, in this tale. I missed her. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley....more

I was really excited for this book to come out but it took me a little longer to get into than I was happy about. It really got better as it went on and I consumed the last half until it was finished. I will definitely read more of the series if she writes more.Great series!

This was the first book I've ever read by this author, and I enjoyed it. I dislike that I didn't realize that it was #5 in the series, but by the time I realized it, I was too invested in the story to quit. I really liked the protagonist, Max Revere, and plan to read the other books in the series. Just a good mystery/thriller type book.

Investigative TV reporter Maxine Revere is taking a month off to dig into her mother, Martha’s disappearance sixteen years earlier. With a successful TV show, “Maximum Exposure” under her belt, Max plans to use the skills she’s developed solving cold cases to determine what happened to her mother after she dropped nine-year-old Max off with her grandmother Eleanor, never to return.

Martha kept in touch through infrequent postcards for six years. Then Martha stopped getting her trust fund checksInvestigative TV reporter Maxine Revere is taking a month off to dig into her mother, Martha’s disappearance sixteen years earlier. With a successful TV show, “Maximum Exposure” under her belt, Max plans to use the skills she’s developed solving cold cases to determine what happened to her mother after she dropped nine-year-old Max off with her grandmother Eleanor, never to return.

Martha kept in touch through infrequent postcards for six years. Then Martha stopped getting her trust fund checks at the beginning of each month and Eleanor filed a missing person’s report that went nowhere.

There are lots of layers to this story. Martha is involved with Jimmy Truman, a fun-loving con man. Living off her money and friends, they travel all over having fun, resorting to scams when Martha’s allowance ran out. The twosome gets involved with art thief Phillip Colter and a few masterpieces go missing from Colter’s stash.

A private investigator Max hires finds that a car, owned by Martha under her aunt’s name, was found abandoned in Cape Haven, Virginia, Jimmy Truman’s home town.Max rents a house in Cape Haven so that she can pursue leads and explore wherever her questions take her. Jimmy’s brother Gabriel still lives in Cape Haven with his daughter Eve and is a well-respected Navy veteran who wants Max to leave him alone. FBI Agent Ryan Maguire turns up pursuing information about Jimmy who sold an expensive painting to a Russian a few years earlier and is now sought for questioning about that transaction. And Phillip Colter owns a house in Cape Haven through his company Boreal.

Allison Brennan organized this story to move back and forth between Martha and Jimmy’s story and Max’s investigation. The suspense Ms. Brennan creates with her words is powerful, leaving the reader hooked, turning just a few more pages, then a few more pages, and a few more pages, until the end is finally reached, in only one sitting.

This is the fifth book in the Max Revere series. But it doesn’t matter if this is your first Max Revere book. Abandoned stands alone very nicely. In fact, it may serve as a strong invite to read the first four books....more

Can we please retire the word “unputdownable?” Please? I mean, it was cute enough the first fifty or so times I heard it, but now it’s a word that gets slapped on far too many books that I’m more than happy to put down. It’s right up there with “The Next Gone Girl!” in terms of false advertising.

Take, for example, Abandoned. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that this is the fifth book inShort Take: Wake me when something happens.

(*Note: I received a free copy of this book for review purposes.*)

Can we please retire the word “unputdownable?” Please? I mean, it was cute enough the first fifty or so times I heard it, but now it’s a word that gets slapped on far too many books that I’m more than happy to put down. It’s right up there with “The Next Gone Girl!” in terms of false advertising.

Take, for example, Abandoned. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that this is the fifth book in a series, and I hadn’t read the first four, but other reviews said that it would be cool as a standalone, so I figured, why not? Then again, the description of this book also called it “unputdownable”, so there’s that.

Anyway.

Abandoned is the story of one woman’s quest to do research. Maxine Revere’s mother Martha walked out of her life when Max was nine, sent a few postcards, and completely disappeared when Max was sixteen. Now that Max is an adult with a hit cable show where she investigates cold cases, she’s decided to use her expertise and resources to solve the mystery in her own life - what happened to Martha Revere?

In the course of the investigation, Maxine will talk to a lot of people. She’ll ask questions, and look at old photos, newspaper articles, and tax records. It’s just about as exciting as it sounds.

Max will be fairly rude to everyone she meets, because she’s a tough independent woman who don’t need no man, but it’s cool, everyone around her will be charmed by this. It’s just as nonsensical as it sounds.

We’re also treated to bits of Martha’s life and correspondences, most of which consist of some version of “I like fun. Why don’t you like fun?” It’s just as grating as it sounds.

Eventually, of course, Deep Dark Secrets are revealed, and there’s a climactic fight scene that lasts about three sentences. One hit, one drop, and the bad guy’s accomplices all surrender peacefully, after which, we get a happily ever after ending (presumably until the next book). It’s just as cheesy as it sounds.

So if you’ve read the other books, and are a fan of the series, go for it, I guess? But if you’re looking for something exciting and FUN (you’ll be sick of that word too by the end), look elsewhere.

I devoured this book in one quick sitting. It is the perfect blend of mystery, suspense, and police procedural with just a touch of romance. The plot is well thought-out with lots of unexpected twists and turns. It does get a little bit predictable at times, but it was still fun to see how it all played out. You will not want to put this book down!

The characters are all well-developed with interesting and multi-layered personalities. Maxine Revere is a tough and determined investigative reporterI devoured this book in one quick sitting. It is the perfect blend of mystery, suspense, and police procedural with just a touch of romance. The plot is well thought-out with lots of unexpected twists and turns. It does get a little bit predictable at times, but it was still fun to see how it all played out. You will not want to put this book down!

The characters are all well-developed with interesting and multi-layered personalities. Maxine Revere is a tough and determined investigative reporter with a difficult past. When she was just nine-years-old, her wild and carefree mother, Martha, dropped her off with her grandparents and left to travel the world with her boyfriend. For the first several years, she sent sporadic postcards, usually on or around Max’s birthday. But when Max was 16, the postcards stopped and Martha disappeared without a trace. She was eventually declared legally dead and everyone moved on – except for Max. Now Max has her own cable TV show investigating cold cases. When she gets word of new information regarding her mother’s disappearance, Max sets off for the small seaside town where her mother’s car was found abandoned in an attempt to finally find out once and for all what really happened.

When I first requested this book on NetGalley, I didn’t realize it was book #5 in a series. I haven’t read any of the other books in this series, but the author did a great job of writing this book to stand on its own. I never felt like I was coming into the story late or missing background information. Although now that I’ve read it, I want to read the earlier books in the series. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

This is a really good Max Revere book that brings together bits from several of her previous books. The story is captivating, and it’s easy to become involved in the character’s lives. I don’t think it’s as tight as many other Allison Brennan thrillers, in that some foreshadowing is much more obvious than usual, and at least one element was easy to see earlier than I think it was intended to be. Overall, though, it was a great read and I’m looking forward to seeing where Max goes next.

Settings /This is a really good Max Revere book that brings together bits from several of her previous books. The story is captivating, and it’s easy to become involved in the character’s lives. I don’t think it’s as tight as many other Allison Brennan thrillers, in that some foreshadowing is much more obvious than usual, and at least one element was easy to see earlier than I think it was intended to be. Overall, though, it was a great read and I’m looking forward to seeing where Max goes next.

Is there a particular issue this book deals with? There’s not an obvious single issue, but family, trust, and secrets are the repeating elements.

What genres could this book be categorized in? Mystery for the most part. There’s a bit of adventure, and a small personal attraction bit as well.

Is there violence in this book? Yes. There’s a couple of deaths, some more natural than others. There’s at least one murder on-page, but not portrayed graphically. There is at least one fight with bodily injury on-page.

Is there romance in this book? There is no significant romance on-page. There is sexual attraction described in the narrative, and a hetero relationship that has a sexual component.

How to the characters view sexuality? Sex is referred to as a normal, natural part of life. There is not much on-page sexuality, and all references are to hetero activity.

Did you enjoy reading it? Yes. I have enjoyed Max Revere books in the past, and this one was also fun, although I don’t think it’s as tight as some of the others.

How does it rate on the tests?Bechdel? Yes.Mako Mori? Yes.Ellen Willis? Sort of. Mostly.Tauriel? With flying colors.Racial Bechdel? No.Deggans? Uncertain, but not likely.Vito Russo? Not applicable.Fridge? Not applicable....more

Abandoned, the 5th book in the Max Revere series, is a very good mystery which stands quite well on its own. I haven't read any of the other books in this series, but that didn't get in the way at all of thoroughly enjoying this book. I look forward on catching up on the others in the series.

Max Revere, 32, is an investigative reporter, with her own TV show, who focuses on cold cases, but this cold case is strictly personal - she wants to know what happened to the mother, Martha, who abandoned hAbandoned, the 5th book in the Max Revere series, is a very good mystery which stands quite well on its own. I haven't read any of the other books in this series, but that didn't get in the way at all of thoroughly enjoying this book. I look forward on catching up on the others in the series.

Max Revere, 32, is an investigative reporter, with her own TV show, who focuses on cold cases, but this cold case is strictly personal - she wants to know what happened to the mother, Martha, who abandoned her at age 9, and never returned for her. Martha periodically sent her daughter postcards, and withdrew monthly from her trust fund but both the postcards and withdrawals stopped 16 years ago. Seven years later, Martha was declared dead. Max has been able to trace her mother's tracks up to the point where the withdrawals stopped and has taken a leave of absence from her job to find out what really happened to her mother.

One clue leads Max to return to the small town where the traceable trail ends - her mother's car was found on a dusty road nearby. The sheriff is willing to help her, and some of the townspeople are friendly, but she also has alot of doors slammed in her face and several people are determined to make her leave town. The FBI is also involved as they are investigating the man that Martha ran with for several years.

Max is a very strong, no-nonsense woman - I loved her character! Other characters are equally richly drawn. This story has it all - mystery, suspense, twists and turns throughout, and a bit of romance thrown in as well.

A very good read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press - Minotaur Books for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review....more

A wild ride that hit the mark of a pure thriller! Con artist unite as this one is sure to heat up the night!Max Revere is superb as the main character. She's tough, she's determined, she's courageous in the face of adversity.As the fifth in the series this book stands alone and does remarkably well.It all begins when Max has questions regarding her mom's sudden departure having abandoned Max at just 9 yo. As an adult many years later the only clue is her car however, many shady characters beginA wild ride that hit the mark of a pure thriller! Con artist unite as this one is sure to heat up the night!Max Revere is superb as the main character. She's tough, she's determined, she's courageous in the face of adversity.As the fifth in the series this book stands alone and does remarkably well.It all begins when Max has questions regarding her mom's sudden departure having abandoned Max at just 9 yo. As an adult many years later the only clue is her car however, many shady characters begin to come to light.The con man aka team partner in all this is James Truman; hated my many including his own brother Gabriel; but ironically loved by Martha.As this duo travel the world on the coat tails of others they also con many out of their savings.Will this be the same fate of her daughter Max? In seeking the truth will she place a target upon herself?Who truly knows the truth after over 16 yrs have passed and will they be willing to open up?The pressure certainly is building...Perhaps there is more than meets the eye here as Eve Truman seems to have a similar issue in the truth about her own parent(s).Phillip Colter meanwhile, is running the whole show but will he ever be uncovered as a sleazy rat he truly is or will he be crowned for simply being a 'provider and or donor'..Oh geez, don't get me going on that topic, but I will let you know this was incredible...So rush out and get cracking.Thank you Allison, her publisher, NetGalley and Aldiko for this wonderful ARC copy in exchange for this honest review....more

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Allison Brennan believes that life is too short to be bored, so she had five children and writes three books a year.

Allison has penned more than two dozen thrillers and many short stories. RT Book Reviews calls Allison “a master of suspense” and her books “haunting,” “mesmerizing,” “pulse-pounding” and “emotionally complex.” RT also said that "The LuNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Allison Brennan believes that life is too short to be bored, so she had five children and writes three books a year.

Allison has penned more than two dozen thrillers and many short stories. RT Book Reviews calls Allison “a master of suspense” and her books “haunting,” “mesmerizing,” “pulse-pounding” and “emotionally complex.” RT also said that "The Lucy Kincaid/Sean Rogan books are getting better and better!"

COLD SNAP, was a finalist for Best Thriller in the Thriller Awards (ITW) and FEAR NO EVIL (2007) and COMPULSION (2015) won the Daphne du Maurier award. Allison has been nominated multiple times for RWA's Best Romantic Suspense award, and the Kiss of Death's Daphne award.

Allison lives in Northern California with her husband, five children, and assorted pets. Her current release is THE LOST GIRLS, a romantic thriller. MAKE THEM PAY will be out in March, 2017....more